Candidates & Campaign Finance Information

All candidates must complete the nomination process by the legal filing deadline established by law. The Registrar of Voters office strongly encourages you to file all required forms in advance of the legal deadline. The Registrar of Voters office cannot make exceptions to the filing deadline, under any circumstance.

Prior to every Election, a Candidate Handbook is prepared and intended to provide general information for candidates and does not have the force or effect of law, regulation or rule. It is distributed with the understanding that the Registrar of Voters office is not rendering legal advice. Therefore, the guide is not a substitute for legal counsel for the individual, organization or candidate using it.

Information on Federal or State office qualifications and requirements are available through the Secretary of State (SOS) website.

Additional information for candidates and committees:

Local Campaign Finance Disclosure Filing

Candidates and committees involved in elections administered in the County of Lake can file their Campaign Finance Disclosure Statements with the Registrar of Voters office. Please be aware that the Registrar of Voters office only accepts paper filings. 

Candidates for City offices must contact the City Clerk:

Political Reform Act

The Political Reform Act requires candidates to file campaign statements disclosing contributions received and expenditures made. The statutory requirements of the Political Reform Act are contained in § 81000-91015 of the California Government Code and are enforced by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). Therefore, questions and requests for clarification should be directed to the FPPC.

Fair Political Practices Commission

For more information, contact the Fair Political Practices Commission at:
1102 Q Street, Suite 3000
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: 916-322-5660 or 866-ASK-FPPC (275-3772)
FPPC Website

Resources

Campaign Finance Reports

Beginning January 1, 2021, redacted local campaign filings will be posted on this website. Campaign finance reports can be viewed here. 

The general public can view and print redacted campaign disclosure forms for local County candidates, committees, and officeholders in image format filed pursuant to State and County law.

Please note that not all Campaign Finance Reports may be available online. If you do not find a filing for a committee, please contact our office at (707)263-2372 for more information.

Cal-Access (Committee Information)

Contribution Limits

Candidates running for a state office and committees that make contributions to state candidates are limited in the number of contributions they may accept from a single source. Beginning January 1, 2021, a state campaign contribution limit will by default apply to city and county candidates when the city or county has not enacted laws addressing contribution limits on such candidates. The contribution limits are different depending on the office, the committee, and the contributor. Lake County has not adopted regulations, so the state limits currently apply to candidates running for county office.

See State Contribution Limits.

Campaign Finance - AB 2171 Implementation

Effective January 1, 2023, filers required to file a report or statement with the Secretary of State now have the option to file it by email. For more information, please visit the Campaign Finance and Lobbying Activities :: California Secretary of State website.